Jesus is anointed with the Holy Spirit and sent by the Father.  In turn, he sends his disciples.  He asks them to leave what is of the world and seek what is of the Spirit.

There is the belief that Pentecost reverses what happened in Babel.  Yet this is not wholly true, and hence, we should leave it behind.

It is because Pentecost does not bring back the one language that all spoke before.  For the disciples speak in other languages, though each one hears them speak in the language of each folk.  That is, the Holy Spirit makes one out of the many.

And we also see this unity in diversity in the saying, “There are all kinds of gifts but the same Spirit.”  The Spirit, yes, makes one body out of the many.

Yet the the greatest gift to strive for is love.  For not to love will mean not to leave the darkness.

And this is the love of the one who tells the cowards, “Peace be with you.”  Such love brings light to the evening.  And they are happy to see him.  To see his hands and his side that he shows them, signs of the greatest love.

Since he loves them so, he sends them as the Father has sent him.  For it is not enough for them to be his disciples if the others are not.  Just as it is not enough for me to love God if my neighbor does not love him (SV.EN XII:215).

Jesus, then, breathes on them to give them the Holy Spirit.  That is, he tells them to leave the safety and comfort the world gives so they may have the Spirit’s gifts. 

The disciples must go out, yes, to announce with their lives the Teacher’s love.  To proclaim that he is the measure of love.  That he is the standard of true love.  And only such love leads us to forgive each other, saves us from the ruin selfishness, self-seeking, causes.

Lord Jesus, give us your Holy Spirit who will show us that you are love to the fullest.  Who will drive us to leave our own interests and love as you, to giving up of our bodies and shedding our blood.  We shall thus beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks and not train for war.

24 May 2026
Pentecost Sunday
Acts 2, 1-11; 1 Cor 12, 3b-7. 12-13; Jn 20, 19-23